Orpheus and Eurydice
by Bint-Lilith
Summary: One of my favourite myths based on Ovid's work 'Metamorphosis'. I wrote down the myth because I will use some parts in my novel "velut luna statu variabilis". It is a play that takes place in there. Also it gives insight to the name "Eurydice" I used for my female Shepard in my ME Fanfiction. Like Orpheus I originate from Thrace, my father was born at the river Hebros . :)


_**Chapter One**_

Death of Eurydice and walk to the underworld

* * *

Orpheus was the son of the muse Calliope and the rivergod Oeagrus. The muse and Apollo, god of music and poetry, adored him. Apollo gave him in Parnassus - where Orpheus used to live with his mother - a lyre, for Orpheus was considered as the most gifted one of the singers.

It is said that when he sang trees surrounded him, animals clustered round him and even rocks cried due to his beautiful song.

When he was an Argonaut Orpheus subdued the furious sea and every foe with his lovely vocals.

But this is another story since I am not dealing with Jason's and his companion's journey, but with the sad fate of Orpheus and his bride Eurydice.

Eurydice was a nymph, a dryad. When Orpheus returned from the Argo to Thrace he married his dearest.

However, one day when the newlywed wandered through the meadows and Aristaeus saw her, it happened.

Enraptured by her countenance, Aristaeus, son of Apollo and Cyrene, who taught the humans to use the olea, approached her and tried to dishonour her. Eurydice fled, but stepped on a viper whose teeth hit her heel deadly.

Several hours were already bygone, since Eurydice went out with the Naiads, nymphs of the river, distant relatives of the Dryads, and Orpheus began to worry where his wife was.

Anxiously he walked up and down his house and when the afterglow started to crimson the world, he decided to seek for Eurydice.

They lived in Cicones, at the foot of the mount Ismara, on the south coast of Thrace.

Eventually Orpheus met Aristaeus who came towards him. Aristaeus was an acquaintance of his who he admired because of his benefactions and journeys. He had always been a good friend to the couple.

As soon as he recognized him, Orpheus ran to him.  
»Oh, thank the gods, Aristaeus,« he spoke out of breath. »You haven't seen Eurydice, have you? She should have returned by now...«  
»I am grieved, Orpheus...« Aristaeus interrupted him. »I... I did not want to harm her. She looked so lovely«, He lowered his head. Orpheus frowned puzzled and questioned Aristaeus. As he could not give him an answer, Orpheus snapped at him. »Where is my wife, Aristaeus? What did you do to her?«, he shouted wrathfully.  
Aristaeus sighed and begged Orpheus to follow him. He guided the trembling man to the location where the unfortunate was bitten by the snake.

»I did not do her any mischief but she ran away and while she was running she came upon the viper. She bit her in the ankle and Eurydice was dead. I killed the viper.«

Orpheus sighted unbelieving his dearest in the dim. The last rays of daylight glimmered upon her soft skin and her blond curls. Any earthen had left her and she seemed more beautiful than she ever was. But she was cold and stiff. Her mouth was open slightly and her eyes stared blankly into the yonder. Orpheus prostrated before her, embraced the pretty nymph and began to weep and wail her.

He remained like this for a long while and cursed the ferocious Tyche, the goddess of destiny, who stole his young spouse. He cursed Hymenaios, the god of marriage, whose blessing lasted so brief. He cursed Aristaeus and the Naiads who left their relative dying and returned reckless to the river Hebros.

Once the singer lamented her enough, for the world did not seem him an appropriate place to lament anymore, he decided, so that he did not leave anything undared, to descend to the realm of the shadows and to beg the king and the queen of the underworld, to give him his Eurydice back.

Numb of grief and sorrow he returned to his house, took his lyre and set out for the underworld.

The way into the underworld was not difficult for Orpheus. There was no fog of the Styx, that muffled everything into an eerie dread. No Cerberus, the watchdog with the many necks, who should scare Orpheus off with his howl. No victim at the taenarian gate's threshold.

Orpheus had heard of the many horrors of this place. Of many whom no entrance were allowed. Of many who experienced the most macabre occurrences and of many who did never return.

But the place had already lost any kind of terror for Orpheus, for he did not know anything more terrible than the loss of Eurydice.

He kept death in sight. Stricken with pain and misery it was all the same for him if death awaited him. He rather hoped for it, if he could not reclaim Eurydice.

The underworld consisted of shadows. An unpleasant place. But Orpheus proceeded and climbed into the boat of Charon.

Charon was the ferryman who carried the souls of the dead across the Styx to the underworld. In order to pay him, the living put coins upon the dead's eyes. It came to Orpheus' mind that he forgot to give Eurydice the coins. He felt ashamed.

»Ferryman,« He gave a little cough as the man looked at him. »I am here to bring my beloved back. Eurydice is her name. Well, I forgot to give her the coins...«

»I know, young man,« Charon interrupted him. »We all know of it. We all have heard your singing that echoed through our gloomy halls and made this place almost peaceful. Hades will listen to what you have to say.« When they reached the bank Charon stepped out of his boat.

»I did not forbid her the entrance and left her wandering along the Acheron. No, her soul is by the dead already. May you do well, son of Calliope, so that you will be able to soften the cold heart of Hades.« Once spoken he returned to his boat to continue his perpetual duty.

When Orpheus finally reached the two lords, he striked the lyre for a song and spoke:

»You gods whose world lies beneath the earth, allow me to explain my woe.

The reason for my run is the wife. A snake's venom ravened her. I don't deny I tried to bear the fate but in the end love prevailed.

Love, well-known beyond, but does she here as well? Has not love combined you both? Oh, I beseech you. Bestow some more years upon Eurydice. Lend her to me and later be delighted by the death of either one.«

While Orpheus sang wondrous things happened around him: The pale ghosts cried, Ixion's wheel stood still, the vultures did peck no more for Prometheus' liver, Sisyphos sat upon his rock, the Belides set down their jars and for the first time tears bewet the Furies' cheeks.

Persephone, queen of the underworld, sat uneasy on her throne and looked at her spouse Hades.

»Hades, let her go. His song can be dangerous for us.« she whispered. He frowned and shook his head. Thereupon Persephone snarled at him.

»Oh, you ghastly man! If you do not release her I will ask my mother Demeter again for everlasting winter. You know what will happen then. Even you are powerless against Zeus' will!«

»Ingrate trull!« Now the god of the underworld opposed and their talk dwindled into a quarrel.

Orpheus became frightened at the sight of this manlike colloquy of the two and yet again he wondered how human the gods seemed from time to time.

At length Hades based his head resigned on his hand and Persephone leaned back in her throne with a triumphant smile on her face.

»Orpheus, we are not able to deny your request thus you shall get Eurydice back.«

Persephone sent for Eurydice who stood by the young shadows. She was cloaked so Orpheus could not see her face. The wound hindered her step.

Persephone sighed and continued:

»On one condition, lyreplayer. You shall proceed, Eurydice will follow you behind. As long as you have not passed the gorge of Avernus you are not allowed to turn to face her. If you should neglect the requirement and look at your dearest the gift will be nullified.«

Orpheus accepted. Through the power of his music he was able to regain his lost love. He was delighted. He took Eurydice by the hand and they began to ascend.

Eurydice, whose wound was still aching, limped. Ere long Orpheus started to worry but he had to withstand not to turn around.

Neither one spoke. Soon Orpheus felt the silence scary and only then he recognized the dread of the scene the two were situated at. With every further moment of quietness he grew more anxious.

Eurydice's pace slowed down evermore and yet the concern and the desire of Orpheus overwhelmed him in a moment of weakness so much that he turned around long before they had arrive at the gorge of Avernus.

His love slid from him in an instant. The ground split and she fell down. He could hear a dying »Farewell« So quiet that he did not know if it was his wish that made him hearing the goodbye.

And Eurydice did not complain for she knew it was love that came over Orpheus and made her die a second time. But inside Orpheus, who had still his arms stretched out grasping hollowness, a sudden consternation started to spread. The dead was now irretrievable. She belonged to the realm of the dead. And they were parted for good due to his own action. It became excruciating clear for the wretched singer.

Orpheus sat down at the bank of the Styx and started to lament over the cruelty of the gods, but no one gave him audience. And Orpheus froze. His body hardened in silent dismay, like the victims of Medusa, as if the second death of his beloved had petrified him.

He sojourned like this for seven days, rejecting every food.

As the stiffness vanished from his limbs, since his perseverance was futile, he left to find the earthly life again.

_**Chapter two**_

The singings of Orpheus

* * *

Three years had passed by since the final loss of Orpheus' dearest. Loving a woman had ended so badly for him that he renounced every woman and devoted himself into boy's love.

It was he who had taught the Thracian people this love.

Orpheus still sang of his beloved but he did not dare to bring up her name again. The folks loved to listen to his singings.

One day, it was not a special one, Orpheus sat on a stark hill clear of trees to raise a song and sing about foreign fates.

»There was a boy, a lad named Cyparissus. Apollo's dear. He made friends with a wild stag. He loved him and cared for him and the animal trusted him. But then one day the cruel Tyche played her game again and Cyparissus slayed him unawares with a spear. He begged the gods for mercy and they showed him mercy. The gods morphed the poor boy into a tree, a cypress. His tears became resin. Another miserable one who fell prey for the gods.«

While Orpheus sang, the hill changed. Where there were no shadows now trees began to gather around, giving the place shade. There were oaks, limes, beeches, maples and willows. Any number of and every seemed to bear a destiny. Then Orpheus beheld a cypress and spoke:

»Is this you, Cyparissus, who comes to listen to my dirge? Oh you pitiful, sit down and I will relate of Hyacinth, the lover of Apollo.«

The lyre clanged again and Orpheus sang of Hyacinth.

»There once was the lovely youngling Hyacinth who Apollo and Zephyr fancied. But Apollos' discus was his doom. He hit the dearest fatal and let the love end soon. Out of the spilled blood, through the hand of the mourning Apollo, flowers cropped up whose petals seemed to wail.«

When Orpheus' song ended, more trees had appeared and flowers had grown. Hyacinths, narcissuses, anemones.

Anew sang Orpheus. He sang of Pygmalion, Myrrha, Hippomenes and Atalanta as well as Aphrodite and Adonis. By then each one whose fate was told had rallied around him. Any tree and plant which Orpheus sang about. Also rocks were moved by him, which shed tears. All animals sat around him, friends and foes, listening to the singings of Orpheus.

Whilst Orpheus fascinated the nature with his tune, the ciconian women, who he had disdained, caught sight of him. They were maenads, followers of Dionysus, intoxicated by wine and frenzy.

»Behold, Sisters!« One of the maenads spoke. »There is the man who does not worship Dionysus and scorns us.«

The first took the stone and threw it directed at Orpheus' head. Before the stone could hit the target, it fell down in front of Orpheus and listened to the lyreplayer's song.

The maenads were steeped in ire and they drowned the beautiful singing with their awful noise of their flutes. As the stones were not able to hear anymore they reddened by the blood of Orpheus. The maenads crushed the nature theatre that tried to protect their singer. They slain the deer, tore out the birds' wings and once Orpheus' opus was doomed, they carved up the body of the poor man with mattocks and maces.

In vain was the moaning of the wind, trees, birds and animals. Now that he was murdered everything beweeped the singer racked with pain. The leaves of the trees fell, the birds held up twittering, the rivers were swollen by their own tears, dryads and nymphs wore black garments.

Still in rage the maenads scattered the limbs of Orpheus and threw his head and lyre into the Hebros. The sea carried his head and his instrument to the shore of the island Lesbos. Apollo petrified the snake who tried to swallow the head of Orpheus. The gods were hit hard by his death. They buried his body in Lebeithra, near his place of birth.

The usually gentle Dionysus, now terribly angry with the maenads' ferocity, punished his followers by transforming them into trees. They screamed and fought, trying to escape but their bodies turned to wood while running. The waggling arms became branches, the hair foliage and the legs deep roots.

A great many grieved about the loss of Orpheus, but Orpheus himself did not grief.

He laughed when he discovered himself again at the Styx and climbed into Charon's boat. Charon sighed.

»You know, I am disappointed. I made a bet with Thanatos. At first I thought I had won, but no... Oh these silly mortal.«

He left the ferryman's boat with an odd mirth and entered the realm of the shadows were Eurydice was already waiting.

The moment he spotted her, he ran to his love and they embraced each other with yearning arms. He kissed her forehead. She smiled at him and said:

»Now we can stroll here jointly. I can follow you and you can follow me. None has to fear the risk of looking behind.«

At last Orpheus had returned to his Eurydice and in death they were conjunct for evermore.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it. I feel so connected with this story. I originate from Thrace, my father was born at the river Hebros and my surname derives from Cyparissus. Okay, these are facts that are not directly related to Orpheus and Eurydice but still... **


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